The Dragon King and His Fallen Star novel Chapter 128

Chapter 128: What Rises, What Breaks

EIRLYS’ POV

Dinner at the Moren Palace was nothing short of a feast.

The long table seemed ready to collapse beneath its weight of silver trays, jeweled dishes glimmering in the candlelight like offerings to some ancient god.

When at last our plates were cleared and the wine cups drained, King Lucius rose and guided us through a tall set of doors. Cool autumn air swept over us as we stepped into his garden, where lanterns glimmered among the climbing vines overhead. Nibbles stirred in my arms, then nestled closer, seeking warmth-only to drift back to sleep.

Evander strolled at an easy pace, hands clasped behind his back, and cast me a warm smile. “You know what’s the best way to end the night, Snowdrop?” he asked, though he didn’t wait for my answer. “A walk through the night market. I know your tour of the capital was cut short last time because of Mirael.”

He turned to King Lucius. “Is it still open this late, Father?”

King Lucius’s mouth curved knowingly. “It is. And tonight you’ll find traveling performers among them. Dancers, jugglers, even a troupe of singers from across the sea. You should go. The young fae will love it.”

My heart leapt before I could stop it. “Performers?” I looked quickly to Evander, then to Kierygan. “I want to see.”

I only witnessed a performance once, during the festival. But it’s hard to remember it without also recalling what came after-when Mirael bound me and laid me atop the fire pit to burn.

A smile tugged at my lips, but before I could thank him, Evander leaned in and gave me a quick wink. “Come on.”

He turned to go, but paused when he noticed Scylla hadn’t moved. “Are you coming?”

Scylla didn’t look at him. Her gaze lingered on Prince Draven across the courtyard. “I’ll stay. I’ve already got company.”

Something flickered in Evander’s expression-his bright eyes dimming, if only for a beat. But he smoothed it away with a smile.

“Well,” he said, his tone light but threaded with meaning, “why settle for a tame stroll when you could have a wildly exciting night?”

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< Chapter 128: What Rises, What Breaks

The air snapped, tension flaring. Scylla’s lips parted, a retort poised. But before she could speak, Ulyanna swept in and looped her arm through Evander’s.

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“Let’s not waste time,” she said briskly. “Come help me find the herbs I need before the stalls close.” She steered him forward without waiting for a reply.

Evander let himself be dragged, his grin returning as if it had never faltered.

I fell into step beside Kierygan as we followed-and to our surprise, even King Lucius joined the procession toward the gates.

Behind us, Scylla drifted toward Draven, his low laugh trailing across the courtyard like it was meant to sting.

Even from a distance, I could see the bright lanterns swaying, hear the music drifting through the air, and catch the echo of the crowd’s laughter.

Ulyanna, Evander, and King Lucius soon peeled away, drawn toward a row of vendors with baskets of dried roots and vials filled with glowing liquid. That left me alone with Kierygan.

My steps slowed as I took it all in-the jugglers tossing their orbs high and catching them with flawless precision, dancers in colorful costumes moving with a rhythm that pulsed like

the heartbeat of the crowd.

And then, the singers.

A small troupe stood on a raised stage at the corner of the street, their voices weaving together in a haunting harmony. I didn’t know the words, but the melody tugged at something deep in me-familiar in a way I couldn’t name. Without realizing it, I began to hum along.

And then… silence.

I looked up. Faces had turned toward me. The square had stilled. Murmurs stirred the air.

Confused, I looked down, only to see a bright glow spilling from my skin. Heat rushed to my

cheeks.

I whirled toward Kierygan and buried my face against his chest. “They’re staring,” I whispered, mortified.

He chuckled softly, his arm coming around me. “Can’t blame them,” he said. “Let them stare.”

But the shame still burned hot in my chest. “We should move along,” I said, tugging at him

before I could draw even more attention.

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< Chapter 128: What Rises, What Breaks

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He let me lead, his stride falling easily in step with mine. Soon, we reached a row of stalls offering all manner of delicacies-sweet, savory, spiced, and strange.

I was still full from dinner, but when he handed me a warm sugar-dusted pastry, my mouth instantly watered. Nibbles stirred in my arms, sniffing eagerly, and we shared the treat

between us.

We wandered on, weaving through the lively maze of stalls, pausing now and then to watch performers-fire-dancers forming golden arcs into the sky, illusionists making birds vanish and reappear in bursts of petals.

I hardly noticed how far we’d gone until we rounded a corner and nearly ran into Ulyanna, Evander, and King Lucius, their arms laden with bags brimming with herbs, charms, and assorted glittering wares.

“Perhaps it is time we call it a night,” King Lucius said, his tone final but kind. “We have a long day ahead tomorrow.”

No one argued. The crowd had thinned by the time we made our way back, the laughter and music behind us fading into a distant echo.

By the time we reached the quiet corridors of the Moren Palace, my eyelids were heavy, the taste of sweets still lingering on my tongue. Nibbles had fallen asleep in my arms again, full and content from the sugary treat he consumed.

Then, suddenly, a door creaked open. Sharp and deliberate.

Prince Draven’s.

A soft giggle followed.

Scylla stepped out, her smile wide and careless… until she saw us standing there.

The air went still. Her gaze flicked briefly to Evander.

Evander’s reaction was almost imperceptible. A stiffening of his shoulders. A tightening in his jaw. His expression remained composed, but his eyes had narrowed.

“Fun night?” he said at last, his voice smooth, almost lazy-except for the edge beneath it.

Scylla’s shrug was almost careless. “I have indeed.”

With that, she swept past us without a second glance, her skirts whispering against the polished floor as she disappeared down the corridor toward her assigned chambers.

No one spoke.

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<Chapter 128: What Rises, What Breaks

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We simply resumed walking, the silence stretching between us as we made our way toward

our own rooms.

The following morning dawned gray and quiet. Kierygan and I were already dressed and ready. By the time we stepped into the courtyard-Nibbles nestled snugly in my satchel- everyone else had already gathered.

Smiles met us as we approached, but beneath them, tension still lingered. I felt it thrumming between Evander, Scylla, and Prince Draven like an unspoken chord.

King Lucius arrived last, striding tall with a warm smile-but there was still something sharp beneath it, something undeniably lethal in the way he carried himself.

“So how do we retrieve the book?” Kierygan asked beside me.

King Lucius regarded him with a faint, unreadable smile. “You’ll see.”

Then, with a graceful sweep of his hand, he turned and gestured for us to follow.

We left the palace grounds behind, the cobbled streets guiding us back into the heart of Obsidia. The city was quieter than it had been the night before, though the marketplace still murmured with early activity.

And then, the docks came into view-the same ones where Prince Draven had once taken me

boating.

The air was thick with the scent of brine and old wood. Waves slapped against the stone quay in a slow, steady rhythm, like the city was holding its breath.

“It will be only us,” King Lucius said, his voice low and final. “My sons and I.”

He didn’t need to explain further. Whatever enchantments guarded the grimoire-they would recognize only Moren blood.

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